1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to pipe hanging straps, such as plumbers tape and pipe hangers and, more particularly, to pipe hanging straps having an improved construction for locking one portion of the strap to another portion of the strap to facilitate hanging pipe and other conduit from, or attaching pipe and other conduit to, building support structures.
2. Description of the Related Art
The use of pipe hanging straps to secure mechanical and electrical building components, such as plumbing pipes, conduit, and heating and air conditioning ducts, to building support structures or to suspend these components from building support structures is well-known. A strip or band of material, such as sheet metal, is attached at one end to a support member such as a beam, post, or wall stud. The other end of the band is wrapped around the pipe or conduit and attached in some manner to the first end, thereby forming a loop which supports the conduit.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,086,442, issued to L. A. Cornelius, discloses a pipe hanging strap manufactured in a long, continuous strap. The strap includes alternating narrow and wide portions along the length of the strap. The wide portions include an opening having narrow slits formed therein. The strap may be cut to a desired length and the severed end forms a connecting member which is inserted through one of the narrow slits and interlocks with the corresponding opening, thereby forming a loop for supporting a pipe or cable.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,304,973, issued to D. D. Vecchiola, discloses a pipe hanging strap having a series of slots along its length. The strap is provided with an adjustable loop at one end for receiving a pipe. A bendable tab at the end of the loop may be inserted through one of the slots and bent to secure the loop around the pipe.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,542,172, issued to E. A. Wold, discloses a bendable strap that is produced in a continuous length with apertures along its length. The strap is secured around a pipe by placing a clip around an overlapping portion of the strap or by inserting a pin or bolt through the holes of overlapping portions of the strap.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,648,326, issued to S. Epstein, discloses a pipe hanging strap of predetermined length that is secured around a pipe by inserting a tab provided at one end of the strap into a slot provided at the other end.
The aforementioned pipe hanging straps suffer from a number of deficiencies. For example, the Cornelius strap is difficult to use because it must be precisely cut so that a narrow portion remains at, its edge. Also, the cornelius edge must be carefully aligned with the narrow slit. The Vecchiola and Epstein straps can only be used with one diameter of pipe. As such, a variety of sizes must be supplied to a given job site. Finally, the Wold device requires the use of clips, pins or bolts which can be easily misplaced and which add additional steps to the pipe hanging process.